Guava Lotus Travel Crib with Lightweight Backpack Design | Certified Baby Safe Portable Crib | Folding Play Yard with Comfy Mattress for Babies & Toddlers | Compact Baby Travel Bed

We were using a relative’s Baby Bjorn crib, but we had to give it back. We almost bought one for ourselves until we discovered the Guava Family Lotus, and we’re so happy we did! After having used both, here’s why…Size/Weight: At the time, the Baby Bjorn seemed to be the smallest size (when packed) that we could find. However, the Lotus is much smaller, and we really like that it can be carried like a backpack. There are some straps on the back of the bag that are hidden in a pocket, and you can take them out and clip them to the bag to turn it into a backpack. I would say that the Lotus is about ½ the size of the Bjorn when it’s in its bag (although it does weight about the same as the Bjorn). Also, we found out the hard way that the Baby Bjorn doesn’t work as a carryon (we ended up having to pay baggage fees for it because we had already checked the carseat and stroller). But, the Lotus is allowed as a carryon which is a huge plus.Using it: This is where the Lotus really shines. When the Lotus is setup, they are pretty much the same size. The mattress on the Lotus seems a tiny bit thinner than the BabyBjorn, but its still very comfortable, and our daughter sleeps great in it, right from the very start, so we’re very happy.The main difference is the Lotus has the side door, which is amazing. She thinks it’s her play area and loves crawling in and out. Any crib that can actually make my daughter giggle and want to be in it is a huge winner in my book. And, we can lay in it with her to play or help her to sleep too. Ingenious. Also, the zipper door has a little clip to lock it from the outside so she can’t undo the zipper herself, which is a nice feature. This door really makes the Lotus a fantastic product.Setup: The thing I always loved about the BabyBjorn is how quickly and easily it sets up. It beats the Lotus for setup time. But the Lotus is only a matter of an extra step that takes a second or two (opening the legs). The Lotus has some Velcro tabs that hold the mattress down that also takes more time because the Baby Bjorn doesn’t have these. But, we have the sheet for the Lotus also, and these tabs go through the sheet to hold it onto the mattress which we like. It makes it all seem very sturdy and secure.Overall, they are both great products. These have come a long way since the pack n play (what a pain!). But, the side door, and the backpack make the Lotus so much more useful. It’s by far our favorite baby purchase.

It took me a while to decide to purchase this travel crib given the price. But, wow, am I glad I did, for at least 6 reasons: (1) Super easy set-up and take down. This design aspect is not to be underestimated. We arrived at our vacation destination close to bedtime. Without even looking at the instructions, I could assemble the bed in about 2 minutes, including securing the mattress and sheet, and plop my son in. It takes a bit longer to take-down and pack-up, but it is still easy and intuitive. You could loan this to a friend and they could figure it out without the instruction booklet. The design is simple and elegant. (2) Small and light-weight. Even on our most recent trip by car, I was thankful for its small size as our car trunk was filling up fast, and it was easy to tote to our location as a backpack. Its compact size and light weight is a real bonus. (3) The thick sheet and cozy mattress. I was initially not thrilled about the mattress being on the floor, but I must admit, the benefit is that the mattress lays perfectly flat. Plus I purchased the plush sheet, which gave it a very cozy feel. For a portable crib mattress, this was more than adequate. Note: the sheet shipped directly from the seller; I chose the standard shipping, which estimated 1-2 days processing followed by 5-8 days for shipping, but it arrived in 3 days! Bravo, Guava Family. (4) The side door. I didn't think we would ever use the side door, but it turns out my son loves to crawl in to visit his toys, and if we put a blanket over the top, he has a little fort. I totally underestimated this aspect of the design. (5) Rugged. My son, now 17 months old, is a bit of a bruiser. And, the crib seems to stand up well to him hurling himself from one side of the crib to the other and trying his best to pull down the rails. He also likes to sleep with his head or feet pressed up against the side, and no stretching so far. (6) Pretty. Although this was not a priority for us, the crib is actually very elegant and nice to look at. In conclusion, I have borrowed several Pack N Plays, and the only reason I can imagine anyone choosing the Pack N Play over the Lotus is price. The first time I tried to take down a Pack N Play, it literally took me an hour -- frustrating enough that I would have paid someone $100 (the approximate difference in price between the Lotus and Pack N Play) to do it for me!!

Perfect. Lightweight. Easy fold and unfold. & still Heavy duty enough. I was worried about it being too light and easily topping over if my child was moving too much lol. Not at all they definitely tested it. Pricey sure but value was worth it!